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Last update - 23:43 16/01/2008 State: We need to reinforce Israelis' endurance to rocket fire, not their homes By Yuval Yoaz, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Israel, Sderot, Qassams The State Prosecution told the High Court of Justice on Wednesday that it was more imporant to increase Sderot residents' endurance in the face of ongoing rocket fire from Gaza than to reinforce homes in the area. The prosecution's statement came in response to a petition by 30 Sderot residents, who demanded the reinforcement of 800 homes in the western Negev town, so that they would be able to sustain Qassam strikes. Over 40 Qassam rockets and mortar shells struck the western Negev on Wednesday. Advertisement Acting on behalf of the State Prosecution, attorney Dina Silber claimed that "since other parts of Israel are already, or will be in the near future, subject to rocket fire - Qassams, Katyushas, shells or mortars - the state could not afford to work under the false impression that this policy would be applicable to the Sderot area only." Silber also said that "the question that the government should address and focus on is that of the stamina of the residents in confrontation areas. Their endurance, and not reinforcement of houses, is the main feature of the issue at hand; reinforcement is all but one element of the protection of the home front against rocket fire." The state also maintains that if a decision to reinforce Sderot houses is taken it will send "shockwaves" that would "constitute a significant precedent as to homes in numerous other parts of the country, which are or soon will be subject to rocket fire." On 23 December the cabinet approved an anti-missile system, Iron Dome, and on 6 January it approved an aid program for communities bordering on the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the Knesset plenum on 27 December that in the course of January NIS 50 million will be allocated to "enhance the resilience of the residents of communities bordering on the Gaza Strip," by means of reinforcing houses and public buildings. The deadline for reaching a decision on the matter is the end of February, the government said. Related articles: IAF kills five in Gaza as rockets pelt south Israel Woman killed, two wounded in Qassam rocket strike on Sderot An Israeli defeat in Sderot Bookmark to del.icio.us   Artistic justice Israel Museum to exhibit art looted by Nazis and unclaimed. Let in snow For second time this winter, Jerusalem braces for snow.   1.   Endurance`d be greatly enhanced if AG Mazuz moved with his family 22:15  |  Absolute Sweden 16/01/08   2.   synosis: israhel has no intention of protecting its citizens 22:57  |  muslim 16/01/08   3.   Silber and the Government have it 22:57  |  Yossi 16/01/08   4.   Israeli architects: consider designing real Geodesic homes 05:57  |  mike 17/01/08   5.   Only in Israel 08:38  |  isaac 17/01/08   6.   KISS 19:04  |  Charles Smyth 17/01/08   7.   sderot 19:49  |  zionist 19/02/08

Today Online Livni: Halting peace talks with Palestinians will not end terror Responses: 119 Lebanon tense amid specter of fresh Israel-Hezbollah fighting Responses: 124 German intellectuals: Israel's creation made Palestinians victims of the Nazi Holocaust Responses: 172 Meron Benvenisti: The demographic bomb is 1-2 years away Responses: 52 Yoel Marcus: Better to keep tabs on terrorists than to kill them Responses: 33 Rosner's Domain New Guests: Orthodox women want a "seat at the table" Gaza: The Problem Nobody Wants Poll: Is it important to have an Israeli-Palestinian agreement by the end of 2008? Most blatant example of Israeli interference in American election The row over Obama's stance on Israel is a dispute between Jews More Headlines 19:46 Livni: Halting peace talks with PA will not end terror 17:42 Palestinians: 10-year-old Gaza boy killed in Hamas-IDF crossfire 19:10 IDF: Reinforcing private homes in Sderot is our last priority 19:59 BBC: Israeli general dodged U.K. arrest for war crimes in 2005 16:22 ANALYSIS: Sarkozy's Holocaust education plan baffles Jews 16:53 Egyptian officials meet with Hamas on Gaza-Egypt border security 19:25 Driver responsible for 3 deaths receives only 3-year prison term 14:47 Islamic Jihad, Palestinian rights groups at odds over deadly Gaza blast 14:01 Lawyer jailed for fraud in dealing with Jews' pensions in Germany 16:35 Pakistan's pro-Musharraf party concedes defeat in elections 15:21 Egypt police kill Sudanese migrant on Israel border 16:20 Widow suspected of faking cancer to receive donations Previous Editions Select Day 18 feb 17 feb 15 feb 14 feb 13 feb 12 feb 11 feb 10 feb 08 feb 07 feb 06 feb 05 feb

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